Justin Olson, a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission, announced on Wednesday that he will run for U.S. Senate, representing Arizona.
The Arizona Republican joins a crowded GOP primary field, vying for an opportunity to take on incumbent Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
When outlining his desire to represent the state in the Senate, Olson outlined stanched opposition to continued spending packages from the federal government.
“America is now $28 trillion in debt & counting. If we don’t stop this OUTRAGEOUS spending now, we’ll bankrupt our children’s future. I fought for & delivered balanced budgets, cut taxes & reduced state debt in Arizona,” Olson said in a tweet announcing his candidacy.
America is now $28 trillion in debt & counting.
If we don't stop this OUTRAGEOUS spending now, we'll bankrupt our children's future.
I fought for & delivered balanced budgets, cut taxes & reduced state debt in Arizona.
Help me FIGHT for our FUTURE ➡️ https://t.co/rZW90FZ7Kz pic.twitter.com/j4aCxUeWHv
— Justin Olson (@_JustinOlson) October 13, 2021
In an additional interview, Olson continued to slam Democratic priorities.
“I believe that the values in Arizona are values of rugged individualism and individual responsibility, and instead, our senator is turning his back on individual responsibility and instead is backing a $3.5 trillion new spending bill,” Olson told The Arizona Republic. “It’s the greatest expansion of the socialist state since the Great Society. This will bankrupt our children’s future. It creates demoralizing governmental dependence and runaway inflation and we’ve got to change course.”
In addition to being appointed by Governor Ducey to the Arizona Corporation Commission, Olson served as the chief finance officer for Turning Point USA.
Olson will face stiff competition in the contentious primary. With the addition of his newly-launched campaign, nearly half a dozen Republicans have entered the race to take on Kelly.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has strong name recognition throughout the state, with early polls showing him as a strong frontrunner.
Blake Masters, who has worked for billionaire Peter Thiel, has stiff financial support. In addition to the $10 million pledged from Thiel, Masters raised more than $1 million in his first fundraising quarter.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for the Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Justin Olson” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Background Photo “U.S. Senate” by U.S. Senate.
